Rigidized plastic enclosures have previously been disclosed in the PCT publication No. WO92/18392. The present invention relates to continuous hinge structures cut from a rigid plastic sheet at least about one-fourth inch thick and to a method of making them.
Many different continuous hinge structures and methods of manufacture have previously been set forth. Most hinges are made from thin metal sheet or are molded from metal or plastic. U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,524, for example, shows making the hinge from metal strip in which the metal strip is fed into a punching machine and notches are cut in the metal strip and then bent over to form hinge knuckles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,871 discloses making a hinge from two plastic pieces, each being capable of being molded in a two part mold and therefore each barrel encircles only 180.degree. of the hinge pin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,464 shows a molded hinge wherein each half of the hinge is molded from plastic and then the hinge barrel must be drilled from the end. U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,753 also discloses a molded plastic hinge made in a two part mold wherein each hinge knuckle embraces only 180.degree. of the hinge pin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,577 discloses a collapsible container wherein the base and sidewalls are hinged together with two hinge pieces in which each hinge piece has both a hinge pin and a cylindrical surface portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,452 discloses a hinge which is readily separable by use of a hinge pin which has flattened portions and hinge barrels which are slotted. Canadian Patent No. 480,778 discloses an extruded aluminum hinge wherein each hinge leaf and the enlarged knuckle is extruded from high strength aluminum and the knuckles are formed by machining with a slot extending from the very distal end of the knuckle. This has the disadvantage that when the hinge leafs are interleaved and the hinge pin installed, the two hinge leaves can be pulled apart rather readily because there are only two about 45.degree. arcs interengaging between the hinge pin and the hinge knuckle.